FOODS FOR LIFE GUIDEBOOK
Common Sense Guide
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Sprouts Provide Super Nutrition
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How to Sprout Seeds & Legumes for Pennies

Sprouts provide super nutrition for pennies, harvest quickly, and can be grown anywhere. Sprout additions to salads, steamed vegetables, stir fry, tofu, cereal, breads, biscuits, cupcakes, muffins, beverages, sandwich fillings, and soups add color and super nutrition. Sprouting jars and lids are available at health food stores. Add raw sprouts to all types of salads.

Blend sprouts into cream soups or add them just before serving. Add sprouts to vegetable juices, casseroles, or any vegetable dish. Wheat sprouts add nutrition and texture to breads, rolls, muffins or pancakes. Grind sprouts and add seasonings to make sandwich spreads or sprinkle them over sandwich fillings.

Sprouting Instructions

Place whole, untreated, organic seeds or beans in a clean, wide-mouthed jar.

Soak the seeds in purified or distilled water
overnight.

Cover the top of the jar with a screen, cheese cloth,or sprouting jar lid. Secure the lid and drain the water from the jar into a vegetable stock jar. Label the stock and refrigerate for soups, sauces, or to feed your plants.

Distribute the seeds or beans around the walls of the jar evenly. Lay the jar on its site or tilted at an angle to allow the water to drain. Place the sprouting jar in a warm, dark place.

Rinse sprouts daily, draining excess water

After the sprouts have grown to their maturation length, put the jar in the sunlight for the sprouts to develop chlorophyl

The following seeds make excellent sprouts.
Be sure to use untreated, preferably organic, seeds:

Alfalfa Seeds:
These small seeds are the highest sprout source of minerals, protein, vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E and K and can be enjoyed in salads, sandwiches, spreads, breads and casseroles. Two tablespoons of alfalfa seeds produce about one quart of sprouts. Since alfalfa seeds are very tiny, you should use a cover for the sprouting jar that has very small holes so the seeds do not fall through. Sprouts take about 4-5 days to reach maturity and should be placed in direct sunlight on the day of harvest in order to increase the chlorophyll content.
(Note that a few physicians, including Andrew Weil, MD, do not recommend using these seeds.)

Black-eyed Peas: When sprouted, black-eyed peas contain lots of proteins, minerals, and vitamins A and C. One cup of peas yields about one quart of sprouts. Since the peas swell during the overnight soaking, allow ample room in your sprouting container. These sprouts have no hulls to wash away and can be harvested and eaten on the third or fourth day. Some people report that these sprouts taste like raw, fresh peas in a pod and they make a nutritious addition to any dish.

Garbanzo (Chick Peas): These sprouts are close to a complete protein and also contain many minerals. They have a nutty flavor suitable for marinating or as additions to salads or loaves. Three-fourths of a cup of chick peas makes about one quart of sprouts. They will be ready to harvest and eat in 3 to 5 days.

Lentils (red or yellow): These sprouts produce a tasty, protein and mineral rich addition to soups, salads, spreads, breads or loaves. One-half cup of lentils yields about 1 quart when sprouted. They
sprout to maturity in 3 to 4 days (1/4 to 1/2 inches in length).

Mung Beans: Often referred to as "bean sprouts" in Oriental recipes, these sprouts contain protein, vitamins A and C, along with calcium, phosphorus and iron. One-half cup of Mung beans produces one quart of sprouts and they reach maturity in 3 to 4 days. You can wash away the hulls before serving or storing for later use. Grow them in the dark, away from sunlight and soak them one minute before draining each day.

Radishes: These flavorful, red sprouts contain potassium and other minerals. One-fourth cup of seeds yields about one quart of sprouts after 3 to 5 days. When the sprouts are 1/2 to 1 inch in length, rinse the hulls away and eat.

Soybeans: One cup of soybeans yields about one quart of sprouts after 3 to 5 days. The are high in protein, vitamins A, B - Complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Sunflower Seeds (hulled): It is advisable to grow sunflower seed sprouts to 1/2 inch in length. They are high in minerals, proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins D and E.

Wheat Berries: This grain is the berry which is ground up to make flour. Sprouted, they contain protein, vitamins B-complex, C and E. They can be harvested in 2 to 3 days or grown for 4 to 7 days to produce wheat grass which can be juiced or eaten for its high chlorophyll content.